Improvement in locks for doors



A UNITED STATES PATENT EEE.

ELISHA T. JENKS AND CHARLES PEASE, OF MIDDLEBOROUGH, MASS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR DOORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,858, dated February 1, 1876 application filed v December 16, 1875.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that we, ELIsHA T. JENKs and. CHARLES PEASE,ot' Middleborough, Plymouth county, Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements Relating to Locks and Fastenings, ot' which the following is a specification:

The invention is more especially designed for securing cabinets and cases for museums.

Among the qualities desired in such situations, in addition to economy ot' material and labor, simplicity, strength, 8vo., is the capacity for drawing the doors tightly together by the act of securing. Shrinkage or various causes may prevent the operating of such a fastening to its full extent.' It is desirable to make it secure the door or doors when only partially thrown. We have practically attained these ends.

The following is a description of what we consider the best means of carrying ont the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a vertical section through my lock and the frame of the door to which it is applied. Fig. 2 is an elevation of my lock with the cover removed. Fig. 3 shows the additional lock and the parts ot the main lock, which are operated by the former. Fig. 4

shows the mode of operating one of the boltsof my lock. Fig. 5 shows a plan view of my lock with the adjacent part ofthe casing in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is the fixed work or framing of a single door. and A1 Al are the rabbets at the top and bottom against which the door abuts, and should press, when closed, with sufficient tightness to exclude insects and dust. B is the door; B1 B2, 8vo., are guides for the bolts 5 and D1 D2 are vertically-moving bolts, traversed in the guides, and adapted to engage inV thrust out, and to draw the door very tightly to its bearing against the rabbet A1. M is an operating cross-handle rigidly connected, in amanner to be explained farther on, to a centerpiece, P, capable of being turned or oscillated Anearly half around in a casing, G, which incloses and supports it on all sides. The back face of the center-piece P is plane. The bolts D1 D2 are linked to the center-piece by peculiar links I I, each in the form of a strong flat piece of metal with rounded ends, and with lateral projections@ extending at right angles from each end. There are two cylindrical holes in the center-piece P, each of which receives one of the projections t'. The other projection i of that link engages in a corresponding hole in the corresponding bolt D1 or D2, which is milled down to receive it. The shoulder of the milled space is adapted to match fairly against the rounded end ot' the link I, and afford a strong bearing additional to that formed by the projection i. The lockca-sing G being cored or milled out in proper form to allow the play of the links I, the turning of the handle M in one direction or the other draws back the bolts D1 D2, and forces them out as required.

' One of the links I carries, in addition to the lateral projections ,'aprojection on the opposite face, marked This engages in a groove,

j, in a crossbolt or third bolt, D3, which is made of rectangular section, and mounted transversely in a recess provided in the cover F. The curvature to the groove j is such that the nearly half revolution given to the centerpiece P to effect the withdrawal of the bolts D1 D2 gives a corresponding motion to the cross-bolt D3, and gives itin pretty nearly the same ratio to the turning ot' the cross-handle M-that is to say, if the pin or projection i* sim plyplayed in a straight groove cut across the under face of the third bolt D3, the semirotation of the cross-handle M would throw out the bolt D3, and drawit partly back again 5 but, by reason of the curvature represented, that motion is avoided. It moves outward with a nearly corresponding motion, while the bolts D1 D2 are moved outward, and moves inward while they are drawn in. We prefer that the extent ot' the motion of the third bolt D3 be less than that of the others.

When the door is opened the end ot' the bolt D3 is presented very conspicuously. It is iinportant that it shall not be beveled like the ends ot the bolts D1 D2. I leave it full size quite to the end, but give an inclination tothe housing or striker E3, in which it applies on the lixed work A.

The guides B1 B2 are formed with screwshanks, and are screwed into tight-tting holes bored in the door B. The bolts D1 D2 may be inserted before the casing and its contents are applied.

The cover F is iliade with circular ends, and matches between corresponding shoulders" on the back of the lock-casing G. The cover F is held to the lock-casingG by the same screws vlock, we can, by gaining admission through the adjacent door, and reaching across thein'- termediate space, remove the cover by taking out the screws H from the defective lock, and

y examine or repair the parts without taking the lock from the door.

We secure the center piece P in the locked position by a small additional lock. The casing G is formed with a large boss, G', which lits into a corresponding recess counterbored or made concentric to the hole for the crosshandle M. rEhe interior of' the boss G affords space for a stout ratchet, P', formed on the shank ofthe center-piece P, and the catch 7o ot the securing-lock plays through the boss into the teeth of the ratchet P. As the center-piece is never turned quite half-way around the teeth of the ratchet P need extend only a corresponding part ot' the circumference. Leaving the remainder cylindrical makes a better bearing against the interior of the boss G. In front ofthe ratchet P the center-piece terminates with a square end, which is en gaged with a corresponding mortise in the end of the cross-handle M. Avery strong pull is sometimes made on the cross-handle M in pulling open the door. We provide for receiving this without strain on thelock by threading a strong collar, L, on the inner end of the cross-handle M. A metallic washer, Z, underlies this collar, and receives the friction as the handle M is turned. K is the casing of the securing-lock, the works of which are operated by a key, V, applied through a key-hole and turning on a spindle, as will be understood. A spring, N, tends to throw the catch la out and engage it with the ratchet P 5 but the action of this spring may be prevented by simply turning the key V, so that its lug shall stand in the position indicated in Figs. l and 3, and by its action on the yoke formed on the catch k hold the latter back out of action. When the key is withdrawn or turned in a position to be ot' no eEect the catch k engages in the rack P', and as the handle M is turned in securing the door holds it and its connections in the completely-turned position, indicating that the bolts are fully thrown, or by engaging successively in the Vteeth of the ratchet holds it step by step in any intermediate position in which it may be left. In case a child or weak person is not able to turn the cross-handle M to the full extent, but can only engage the bolts a little with their several strikers, the ratchet P'will still be engaged by the spring-catch k, and the doors Will be held with 'equal security, being simply pressed home to their seats against their rabbets Al ,with less force than when the bolts are fully thrown. In case ot' a breakage or failure of the spring N, the catch 7c may be thrown and held in engagement with the ratchet by means of the key V, by simply turning the latter in the position` the opposite of that shown in Fig. 3.

Modifications may be made in many of th details of our invention. The securing-lock K may be made with tumblers, or otherwise, to aord the same security against picking as is usual in elaborate bank-locks; or it may be more simple than is here shown. [In using our fastening with double doors matching together with tongue and groove, or when, for any other reason, the third bolt, D3, is not desired, it may -be dispensed with. The guides Bl B2 may be secured by other means. The ends of the bolts Dl D2- instead of being frust-ums of cones, as shown, may be beveled oft on one side. Even so important and severely strained a part as the cross-handle M may, instead of being permanently attached, be made as a strong, but detachable, key, furnished with one or more lugs, engaged directly in the front of the centerpiece P, or in frontof the ratchet P' thereof,it it were desired with such construction to retain the auxiliary or securing lock k. With such construction the main lock-casing G should be formed with its boss G extending farther forward, and made suficiently strong to receive the full force of the pulling on the cross-handle, which is liable to be severe when the door sticks or resists opening from any cause. With either construction the force of the pull is received directly on the door, either from the washer Zin the construction represented, or on the main lock-casing G with the consideration last suggested.

We can apply our locks to all forms of cases, Whether with double or single doors, horizontal or variously inclined. We believe that our fastenings may also be used with some advantage for cupboards and ordinary doors, French windows, and the casings of dumb-waiters. It may, in short, be ,used in any situation where it is important not only to guard against opening byunauthorized persons, but also to'draw the doors in a tightlyclosed position to guard against distortion by warping, or the passage ot' air, gases, or dust. We propose to apply our lock, when desired, to a pair of horizontal bars, extending along past a Whole series of doors or lids, with a hook properly beveled, to engage with each 172,858 f sl door, and draw it tightly to its bearing. We can, by enlarging the diameter of the centerpiece P, get a greater range of motion with the same angular turning, or We can get sufficient motion with a considerably smaller diameter of the piece P. This latter modification is of great importance when there is but little space, as in glass doors with iron frames or sashes.

The construction of the center-piece P is much stronger than the usual plan of turning upon a spindle. The center-piece cannot be turned back by any'force applied on the bolts when fully thrown, because the links I are thrown quite to, and a little past, the center We attach importance to the formation of the links I with the projections i, instead of with holes to fit on pins. If they were formed with holes the pins would have to be much smaller than the projections t, or else the links would have to be wider, in whichlatter case the center-piece could not be turned as far. It is important to give all the throw to the links I due to the nearly half-revolution of lthevhandle M, and, consequently, of the center-piece P.

We claim as our invention-,-

1. In combination with the bolts'Dl D2 for drawing the doors Ato their places, and with a center-piece, P, and efficient turning means M, the links I, formed with projections i, engaging in the center-piece, and arranged to lie parallel andlin contact with each other connection, which operates bolts and strikers, having beveled surfaces, adapted to draw the door tightly closed, the ratchet P and catch Y k for securing the bolts step by step, as herein specified.

4. The securing-lock K k operated by a key, in combination with the center-piece'P,ratchetv P', links I i, and bolts Dl D2, as herein vspecified.

In testimony whereofwe have hereunto setv our hands this 13th day of December, 1875,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ELISHA T. J ENKS. CHARLES PEASE. Witnesses:

J. W. P. JENKs, EVERETT ROBINSON.

3.- In combination with a suitable shank and 

